Journey to Discover Angkor Wat Temple – the City of Temples in Cambodia

Table of Contents

1. Overview

Angkor Wat is the most famous tourist attraction in Siem Reap, Cambodia. “Angkor Wat” is the name, which means “city of temples” in Khmer.

Siem Reap city is considered the center of tourism in Cambodia. With many historical sites and scenic spots, every year Siem Reap welcomes a large number of domestic and foreign tourists to visit and travel.

Angkor Wat, one of the seven wonders of the world, is the largest religious architectural complex in Cambodia, measuring up to 1,626 m2. It was built in the early 12th century by Khmer King Suryavarman II; it was the capital of the Khmer empire as well as his temple and mausoleum. The temple of Angkor Wat worshiped the god Vishnu, but gradually, at the end of the 12th century, it became a Buddhist temple.

The-Complex-Temple-Angkor-Wat

The temple is a combination of two basic Khmer architectural features. It is a mountain temple with long and narrow corridors. The richness of the majestic architecture and the harmony of the sculpture, along with the large number of gods meticulously decorated on the stone walls, made Angkor great.

2. Transportation and transportation in Angkor Wat (Siem Reap)

From Vietnam, there are many ways to go to Angkor Wat. The first choice for you is to travel by plane. In Ho Chi Minh City, you can book a direct flight to Siem Reap airport for about 300 USD round trip.

The second option is to travel by bus. Currently, there are many buses departing from the center of District 1 with many bus companies such as Open Bus and Sapaco, with fares ranging from 50 USD round trip.

The Angkor Wat complex is about 6 kilometers from Siem Reap International Airport. Move from Siem Reap airport to Angkor Wat by some popular means, such as:

Tuk tuk about 3-5 USD/trip.
Airport shuttle rental: about 10 USD/time.
Taxi: The price for a taxi from the airport to the center is about 7–9 USD..
Motorbike: 1-2 USD/trip.

At Angkor Wat, you should rent a tuk tuk and negotiate the price with the driver in advance so that they can take you to visit all the outstanding places, because if you walk or rent a bicycle, you will not visit in one day all the famous places.

Tuk-tuk drivers know how long it takes to travel through each point, so they will help you arrange the most reasonable schedule. The price of a full-day tuk tuk rental will be about 20 USD, depending on the price agreement between each person.

3. Itinerary 3 days and 2 nights from Ho Chi Minh City to Angkor Wat:

3.1. Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City – Siem Reap

Tour guide picks you up at Tan Son Nhat International Terminal; procedures for you to fly to Siem Reap airport; car and tour guide pick you up at a central Siem Reap hotel; check in at the hotel; rest.

When you come to Siem Reap, you will discover the Siem Reap night market.

Siem Reap Night Market is a place worth stopping for if you want to learn about Cambodian culture. The market is usually open from 4 p.m. to midnight with a variety of items, especially bandanas, silverware, jewelry, etc. At this market, visitors can shop for everything from jewelry to pants. You can use Cambodian money, Vietnamese money, or dollar money to shop at the Siem Reap night market.

3.2. Day 2: Siem Reap – AngKor Wat Temple

Visiting Angkor Wat temple, Angkor Wat temple is the “cultural heritage” of the world, recognized by UNESCO in 1992, with beautiful stone sculptures.

See more:

Opening hours: Angkor Wat opens at 5 a.m. for visitors who want to watch the sunrise from this iconic site. Upstairs (Bakan Sanctuary) is only open from 7:30 am; Angkor Wat closes at 5:30 pm.

Ticket price to visit Angkor Wat

All visitors, except Cambodians, who wish to visit Angkor are required to buy tickets. There are 3 ticket classes with the following prices:

1 day ticket: 37 USD.
3 day ticket: 62 USD (valid for 1 week).
7 day ticket: 72 USD (valid for 1 month).

Places to visit in Angkor Wat not to be missed

3.2.1. Angkor Wat Temple, the famous temple in Angkor Wat

This is the most famous temple in Angkor Wat. In front of the temple is a large lake planted with many lotus flowers. Coming here, you will admire the unique Khmer architecture with the wall reliefs, along with the sophistication in the way of construction that, until now, scientists have not discovered how to build them.

The combination of mountain temple architecture and narrow corridors creates a mysterious and fanciful temple area. To see the full beauty of this temple, you follow the steps to the top of the 65-meter-high tower to see the whole scene of Angkor Wat.

3.2.2. Bayon Temple, an attractive tourist destination in Angkor Wat

Bayon Temple, the central temple of the Angkor Thom complex, was built by King Jayavarman VII in the early 13th century. The temple has a very unique architecture designed by reliefs with smiling faces outside the corridor, are reliefs depicting the lives of the king and the royal family, the battles, and the lives of the Khmer at that time.

3.2.3. Ta Prohm Temple—the most special temple in Angkor Wat

The temple is better known through the 2001 movie Tomb Raider. In a temple known for its many mysteries, there are huge tree roots clinging to the rock that look like giant pythons. The temple was built in 1186 and is located to the east of the complex of Angkor Thom.

3.2.4. Ta Keo Temple

The temple was built in 977 by King Jayavarman V to worship Shiva. Ta Keo Temple is 21.6m high and is the highest temple in the Angkor Thom complex. The main material used to build the temple is sandstone in the style of Khmer architecture. The top floor of the temple has 5 towers, with 4 sub-towers located in the 4 corners and 1 tower in the center.

3.2.5. Bakheng Hilltop, the top of the hill to watch the beautiful sunset at Angkor Wat

Bakheng hilltop is also one of the most attractive places in Angkor Wat. This was the center of the first Khmer kingdom, and the temple was built to worship the god Shiva. This is said to be a very sacred temple; each floor has 12 towers and has a total of 5 floors; those 12 towers represent the 12 zodiac animals, and the 108 towers represent the 4 phases of the moon with 27 days in a cycle. With a height of 65m, this will be the ideal place for you to watch the sunset and panoramic view of Angkor Wat.

In addition, there are other attractive tourist destinations such as Angkor Thom, the Thousand Linga River, Prah Khan Temple, and Kulen Mountain—the place where the Angkor dynasty was born and the Khmer dynasty was founded.

3.3. Day 3: Siem reap – Ho Chi Minh City

Check-out procedures, then the car and tour guide take you to visit and shop for souvenirs and Cambodian specialties at Siem Reap. Arrive at the airport to check in to Ho Chi Minh City.

4. The most famous dishes at Angkor Wat are definitely worth trying

This place is not only famous for its rich cuisine but also for its rich Khmer culture and unique traditional dishes.

Food at Angkor Wat is not only delicious and easy to eat but also relatively cheap, costing only 3–5 USD. Coming to Angkor Wat, you should definitely try some famous dishes such as amok fish, stir-fried ants with beef, noodles with fish curry, Nom Banh Chok , jaggery beef cake, fried crickets with chili, Tomyam papaya salad, Nam Vang noodles, etc.

5. Some notes when visiting Angkor Wat

In order for you to have a convenient, fun, and interesting trip to Angkor Wat, you need to prepare yourself with the necessary items such as sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, and clothes that are easy to move around in. Most importantly, wear discreet clothing when visiting the temple.

Bring insect repellent because there are quite a few insects that can bite or sting you, causing uncomfortable itching.

The Angkor Wat ticket will be valid from the date of your purchase. You should keep your entrance ticket with you, as the security guard will check the ticket before you enter each temple.

Please contact Metta Voyage to schedule a detailed itinerary for your trip to Angkor Wat Temple, Wonders of the World and unique things you may not know yet.